811.504/2087: Telegram
The Ambassador in Mexico (Messersmith) to the Secretary of State
[Received April 3—3:20 a.m.]
331. Reference Embassy’s telegram 288, March 23, 9 p.m., 1943. National Railways today informed Brown of Farm Security Administration that with railway equipment presently assigned to movement of agricultural laborers to the United States it will be possible under speedup now provided for to move 7000 workers monthly to the United States. This would involve sending five train loads of 750 workers each to Ciudad Juarez each month and 650 workers to Guadalajara five times each month.
Bursley has discussed this with Stevens of railway mission who states that at least this rate should be attained and that after April 10 he believes further increase would be practicable especially in view of probable availability of additional equipment after that date. Stevens again very strongly emphasized the inadvisability of sending American railway equipment to Mexico for the movement of laborers.
Representative of War Manpower Commission7 arrived here today. We shall of course know nothing of number of unskilled non-agricultural laborers to be moved until the outcome of impending conversations with authorities of Mexican Government on this subject have developed.
- Arthur W. Motley, Chief of the Employment Office, Service Division, Bureau of Placements.↩